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Carol and partner Pasha Kovalev landed in the dreaded dance-off after coming bottom of the leaderboard.

They performed an American Smooth to Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like A Woman.

BBC

Carol found herself in the dance-off after coming bottom of the leader board

There's no tension between us - it's the absolute opposite

Contestant Carol Kirkwood

But Carol said she knew she was heading home when she came up against Kellie. "I was shocked to see her in the bottom two," she said. "She's such a great dancer. I was in the bottom two because I was the weakest left. What the judges said was fair.

"Who am I to argue? It would be like them trying to forecast the weather. But I left on a high."

Carol dismissed talk of any tensions between the contestants, "That's absolute nonsense," she said. "There's no tension between us - it's the absolute opposite.

"If I was having a bad day I could have turned to any of them. I've never met such a lovely, supportive group of people.

"It worked because we're all in it together; you're showing your vulnerable side, doing something new in front of millions of people."

BBC

The weather presenter lost the dance-off to Eastenders actress Kellie Bright

Carol said she did not feel her age was a disadvantage. "When you're with all these lovely people who are all your friends, you don't even think about age," she said.

"You all become a tight-knit group. The only person I was competing against was myself."

Carol praised partner Pasha, saying: "He is so patient,the most gentle man and a gentleman."

Slimmer She said she had been worried about doing the lifts. "I thought I was too heavy and was going to crush Pasha," she said.

Carol Kirkwood in pictures

Tue, March 6, 2018

BBC Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood in pictures. The TV presenter has won the TRIC Award for Best TV Weather Presenter five times.

"But I realised he is more than strong enough. It was just about confidence with me and by the end I loved the lifts.

"I couldn't have been paired with anyone better. The last dance freed me so we could have the most beautiful dance.

"And Strictly has made me a wee bit slimmer. I've lost about a stone and gone down a dress size, maybe even two, even though I was eating like a horse.

"We trained from seven in the morning until six at night so it's not surprising that I lost weight."

BBC

Carol thanked her partner Pasha

Pasha returned the compliment, saying working with Carol was an amazing experience.

"I couldn't even believe that you can be so nice," he said. "I'm definitely going to miss you singing to me."

Despite being out of Strictly, Carol refused to name who she thought might win. There was no clear winner yet, she said, adding: "I don't know who will win. As they're all my friends I wouldn't want to pick one."